Hot Water

The Direct Contact Water Heater’s (DCWH) energy efficiency, up to 99 percent, stems from a heating method differing from that of a conventional boiler. The latter utilizes boiler tubes within a pressure vessel and a heat exchanger to warm water. The DCWH design, on the other hand, simplifies the energy or heat transfer by placing the process water with the…

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Safety, fairness and the new era of workplace drug testing

The ready-mix concrete industry prides itself on leveraging technology to optimize the customer experience. Its technology investments generally focus on improving production and delivery such as quality and service. To its discredit, technology does not always provide direct benefits to employees—the resource that leaders in ready-mix production universally acknowledge is the most important. However, through the championing of cutting-edge technology,…

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Concrete Maturity Method: Tradition Enables Innovation

The construction materials testing (CMT) industry is excited by the possibilities of estimating concrete strength via the non-destructive maturity method. This method provides a number of enhancements to the traditional laboratory compression test method. But the maturity method is not an alternative or replacement. Indeed, maturity testing relies completely on the traditional compression test method.

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First Mover

Newest ready mixed plant shows how Star Concrete remains among the Golden State’s savviest independent producers Star Concrete hails from Silicon Valley, one of the U.S. construction hotspots for the better part of the past decade and a market known the world over for innovation and entrepreneurial prowess.

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Water, wastewater treatment giant adds Alar Engineering

Water and wastewater treatment equipment, technology and systems specialist Ovivo Inc., Montreal, has closed on the Mokena, Ill.-based Alar Engineering Corp., Alar Chemical Sales Inc. and Alar Leasing Inc. businesses. They manufacture treatment and clarification systems for industrial applications, including concrete production process water and cement slurry; provide pre-treatment and filter aid chemical products; and, offer parts, services and equipment…

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MANUFACTURERS – DECEMBER 2020

St. Louis-based manufactured-concrete plant equipment leader Afinitas has promoted two team members to leadership roles in the Forming Systems Division, encompassing the New Hampton Metal Fabrication, New Hampton, Iowa, and Spillman Co., Columbus, Ohio businesses. Columbus General Manager Matt Karnes will serve as the division’s director of Engineering, overseeing both brands’ systems, processes, engineering design, and new technology. He joined…

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ORGANIZATIONS – DECEMBER 2020

The American Society of Concrete Contractors has named Cleveland general contractor Donley’s Inc. and Davidson, N.C. specialty contractor Wayne Brothers Inc. as W. Burr Bennett Award for Safety Excellence recipients, based on 2019 metrics. The ASCC Safety & Risk Management Council presents the honor in partnership with major underwriter CNA, judging candidates on three years of performance indicators; a self-assessment…

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PRODUCERS – DECEMBER 2020

U.S. Concrete Inc. has closed on the assets of Sugar City Building Materials Co. in San Francisco’s East Bay area, adding two ready mixed concrete sites, two concrete recycling systems plus a retail store to its San Jose-based Central Concrete Supply Co. flagship. The deal extends the producer’s Westside Concrete Materials network to six locations and northern California ready mixed…

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Titan Florida earns first zero waste nod from LEED administrator

Better known as Pennsuco, the Titan America cement plant in Medley, Fla., is the first operation of its kind to attain the highest level of certification under the Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) rating system for zero waste. Administered alongside the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system by the U.S. Green Building Council-aligned Green Business Certification…

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